Not everyone wants to STAND OUT in the traditional sense. Often we assume that you need to be an extrovert to STAND OUT, and that it’s necessary to dress in a distinctive way and to be supported by bright and loud branding.
I accept that all of those qualities can make you STAND OUT and may consequently ensure that you are memorable. But. there is little point in being remembered without also benefitting from recommendations and referrals. What you’re really after is securing a competitive advantage.
In the late 1970s a famous drinks company produced a wonderful series of comedic TV advertisements for a fortified alcoholic drink. The popular adverts all starred Leonard Rossiter and Joan Collins. Legend has it that the series ended when it became apparent that it was boosting sales of a rival brand of similar drink. The adverts stood out and were memorable but, it would seem, for the wrong reasons, as not enough people remembered the specific drink they were promoting.
In many ways I stood out from my colleagues early in my career. But only because I was different. Not always because I was better at my job. Looking back, I like to think that I did learn, quite early on, the benefits of adopting a range of techniques to stand out from the crowd and from my peers. And it is those same techniques that now form part of my 7 point framework of ways anyone can STAND OUT from the crowd.
It’s not a question of simply ensuring you are remembered. The impressions you have on the people you meet and their consequential memories of you need to be positive. And linked in some way to the services you provide. You don’t simply want to be remembered. You also want to secure more recommendations and referrals. You want to maximise your competitive advantage.
Leave A Comment